What If
by Animouse03
Summary: What if a machine existed that could show you the life you would have lived if one key moment had never happened? The Gundam Boys find just such a creation and soon learn that everything happens for a reason...Mild Angst, Partial OOC
1. What If

**Summary:** What if a machine existed that could show you the life you would have lived if one key moment had never happened? The Gundam Boys find just such a creation and soon learn that everything happens for a reason…Mild Angst, Partial OOC

**Author's Note:** Well, this is the start of my next work. It's a little different but I think it'll come out good. Please feel free to review, I love getting feedback and I hope that everyone enjoys it!

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What If**

In a person's life, many events take place that are less than desirable. No one can understand this more than the five ex-Gundam pilots. Not many fifteen-year-olds are forced to live and fight in a war, but they did; Not many children are forced to watch death time and time again, but they did; And not many young people can experience all of that and still remain sane, but they did. It took a lot of work, but eventually the Gundam Boys were able to find new lives for themselves; lives that made them happy.

Duo Maxwell, once the pilot of Gundam Deathscythe and known to all as the God of Death, began working for a salvage company and put his talented hands to work. He rose quickly in the company and by the end of his first year found himself the manager of a small branch company on colony X-19998 in the L2 colony cluster.

Chang Wufei, once a biological attachment to the Gundam he called Nataku, began work with Sally Po and the Preventors. He was good at his work and soon became known as one of their best agents. During his first year he perfected his ability to disguise himself and his investigation skills had developed nicely. It wasn't long before he was able to claim his very own office on the fifth floor of Preventor Headquaters along with the title of Chief Investigator.

Trowa Barton, the famed pilot of Gundam Heavyarms, stayed with the circus for the company of his sister but eventually brought so much money to the craft that he found it becoming a very prominent career. Trowa's hardened exterior softened and soon he found himself doing private birthday parties along side his circus activities. He was soon the most known and most popular clown in all of the colonies and was quickly becoming known on Earth as well.

Quatre Raberba Winner, the caring pilot of Gundam Sandrock, took over Winner Enterprises; a company that created, salvaged and manufactured metal for construction of space stations and was once run by his father. His company grew steadily with Quatre's vast knowledge and wisdom and soon Quatre found himself expanding to even greater heights. His company bought out all of the mobile suit manufacturing companies and with the help of the Interplanetary Alliance, passed a law that said mobile suits will be constructed without weaponry and will only be used for construction.

Heero Yuy, the emotionless pilot of Wing Zero, left everything he had ever known and traveled across the globe looking for something that he could devote himself too. He passed through many cultures and many families looking for something that he could care about and after many years, he discovered the one thing he longed for was the one thing he left behind. After a three year journey, Heero returned to the Sanc Kingdom, which became the new Headquarters of the Interplanetary Alliance, and asked for a job. Heero was pronounced the new Vice-Foreign Minister of the Interplanetary Alliance due to the recommendation from the current Foreign Minister, Relena Darlian (Heero has yet to confess the truth of his return to anyone).

With everything that has happened to these young people, it's a miracle they've been able to find happiness at all; but it was not to last. Four years after the war between Earth and the Colonies ended a group of ex-OZ agents began a rebellion. They refused to believe that peace was the answer and were determined to finish the work OZ intended. They soon grew in strength and numbers and it wasn't long before another war broke out. If it was possible, this war was even worse than the first one. The streets were filled with death and chaos at all hours; people were forced to hide underground to escape the fires and explosions. Many people were killed in places they thought were safe, buried alive by their own houses.

The five ex-pilots tried in their own ways to stop the madness. Duo had taken it upon himself to sabotage as many weapon construction agencies as he could, hoping to weaken the new OZ. Unfortunately, they only saw his efforts as little more than an annoyance. Wufei had pulled every contact he knew in an effort to learn about plans before they were executed and stop them; and while every mission he launched was a success, there were a dozen others that occurred before he could catch wind of them. Trowa quit the circus and joined a small rebel force that made it their mission to destroy as many OZ bases as possible and just hope it would damage them. The new OZ always managed to bounce back and their bases seem to sprout up from no where whenever one was destroyed. Quatre and Heero took different routes to stop the war. Quatre's company provided all of the material needed to create OZ bases and was in turn allowed to hear certain plans. Quatre then sent anonymous tips to the Preventors and Trowa's rebel force hoping they could learn something. Heero had a similar tactic. He used his political power to gain access to OZ bases and headquarters to learn of their plans. Once he knew what they were after he would send in his own private team of bounty hunters and body guards to ruin the plans.

The war waged for three years without any sign of stopping before the five men began to loose hope. All of the emotions they had gained since the first war had vanished and all five found it again necessary to harden themselves in order to survive. All of the death had affected the men so heavily the first time around that none of them could stand the thought of having it happen again. Each of them had lost someone they loved during the first war and it had devastated them; they refused to let it happen again.

There was one place left on Earth that they knew was a safe haven. All communications were tapped now-days and they could not chance calling each other. Each of them hoped that if they return to this one spot, the others would soon follow. The place was an old safe house Quatre had provided during the war. The pilots had lived together in this house for months while they were staking out OZ bases. It was the only house that all five of them had lived in together at one time and it was the house that they all traveled too now. Without their knowledge, someone else also anticipated their arrival to that house and had already been living there for three months, waiting for them.

Howard stood on the porch and watched as the bright red mustang pulled up the drive. Duo Maxwell climbed out and smirked at the old man standing under the shade.

"Howard, that you?" He called.

Howard chuckled and nodded. "I was wondering how long it would take you to get here."

Duo approached and embraced his old friend. "What's that supposed to mean?" he grinned.

"It means you're late." He said and ushered Duo inside.

Sitting in the living room was Quatre, Wufei, Heero and Trowa. Duo laughed out loud when he saw them and shook his head.

"Guess great minds think alike, eh?" He teased and sat on the couch next to Heero.

Duo's humor had become even sharper and though no one would voice it, it showed that Duo had grown even more callous. The room was filled with a sullen attitude. Wufei, whose closest resemblance to a smile was a smirk that he dealt only his enemies didn't so much as acknowledge Duo's presence, even though he was pleased to see him. Trowa nodded his hello and, though he rarely spoke before, now didn't even make a sound. Quatre smiled politely but his eyes were empty and cold. Heero grunted his greeting and though he was very happy that Duo had arrived, he quickly stood up and walked to the corner to be alone.

Howard observed all of this and it made him sad. He watched these five when the war ended; he watched how their friendship had blossomed into something rare and special. To see them all so cold to each other now broke his heart.

_Now I have to show them…_He thought. He moved slowly into the room, his knees didn't work so well anymore, and smiled at them.

"Nice to have everyone back in the same room again." He chuckled.

The only smile in the room was Duo and it didn't meet his eyes. Howard sighed and shook his head. "Listen, it's obvious you all want to get started, so follow me."

"Follow you? What are you talking about, old man?" Wufei glared.

Howard smirked over his shoulder. "I've been expecting you. Come on now, I've got something to show you."

The five men exchanged puzzled glances before standing and following the old man down a set of creaking old stairs into the basement. The going was slow because Howard had to take each step very carefully and no one seemed inclined to complain or lend a hand so they simply followed. At the foot of the stairs, Howard brought them to a large computer with an old cracked screen. The computer was connected to several wires that wound their way across the room and connected themselves to five old recliner chairs. Heero raised a brow when he saw them and turned to Howard.

"What is going on here?"

Howard smiled and turned to them. "I told you. I want to show you something."

"Howard…" Trowa was inspecting one of the chairs. "Technology like this must have taken years to create." He turned to the old man. "How did you know we'd come here?"

Howard chuckled. "I knew that eventually, when things got bad enough, you five would come here. This is the only place you were able to be kids wasn't it?" He looked around the room. Small smiles had spread across five faces as they remembered their time in the house but they were quickly replaced with their emotionless masks again. Satisfied, Howard nodded. "I thought so." He turned to the machine and began flipping switches and pushing buttons. "This is my What If machine." He explained as the machine roared to life.

"A 'What If Machine'? What is that?" Wufei asked, watching Howard work.

"Well, it works in much the same way the Zero System did…" Heero shuttered in remembrance, "only this is much more powerful."

Quatre frowned. "What is it for? Why did you build it?"

Howard smiled. "For inspiration really. A little bit of hope in a dark place." He turned back to the five men. "I want you five to try it. I think it may help."

The room was silent. Duo crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "What exactly is it? A weapon?"

Howard shook his head. "No. It's more of a…mind reading device."

"Mind reading?" Heero asked.

"Yes," Howard walked over to the closest recliner. "See, you lie in this chair and attach yourself to the machine, just like you would the Zero System, and the What If Machine will project you into the world of you're choosing according to you're thoughts."

Trowa raised a brow. "But why call it a What If Machine?"

"Ahh, there's the beauty in it." Howard smiled and walked back over to the main machine. "Have you ever wondered what would have happen if something in you're past had never occurred? The death of a loved one, a career decision, maybe even a choice of mate?"

The others exchanged a glance.

"Well," Howard continued. "This machine can show you what life would have been like if that event had never occurred."

"I don't understand." Heero frowned and turned from the creation to Howard. "How will this help us?"

Howard smiled. "It just may give you the insights into you're character that you've been looking for. Or maybe even remind you of something you've given up."

The five friends exchanged glances of curiosity and concern. Heero crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "Won't this damage the brain? The Zero System could hurt you if you didn't know how to control it."

Howard nodded. "Yes, that's true. But this is a more advanced system. Okay, let's take my daughter. She has always wanted to know what life would have been like if my wife never died. I put her in the machine and it put her into a deep sleep. In that sleep, her consciousness woke up into a world where her mother had not died. While in this dream world, you can still feel pain, eat food, grow tired and need sleep…it's just like the real world. The System acts according to you're experiences. People will behave according to you're memory of them whether you remember that person or not."

"So it's like virtual reality." Duo offered.

Howard nodded. "Yes. What do you say?"

"I don't know…" Wufei frowned and turned to Howard. "We have responsibilities. We can not simply go to sleep and not think of them."

Howard nodded. "Of course not. However, time in the dream world passes differently. You may think you've been there for days when in fact it's only been seconds. You can learn and see many things before you actually wake up."

More exchanged looks and an even deeper silence followed. The idea was intriguing but would it work? What if they became stuck in the dream world and were never able to wake up? Would it matter at this point? None of them wanted to life through another war. Perhaps the risk was worth it? Heero was the first to speak. He turned to Howard and sighed.

"I'll do it." He said.

Howard smiled and nodded. "I knew you would."

"Me too." Duo added. He walked forward. "But this better work." He glared.

"It will it will." Howard smiled.

"I'm in." Quatre stepped forward followed by a silent nod by Trowa and a grunt by Wufei.

"Wonderful!" Howard smiled. "Alright boys, just go ahead and lay down in those chairs and I'll start up the machine."

One last glance exchange and hey all moved towards a chair and climbed in. Howard attached the wired to their heads, arms and legs and flipped more switches and turned more knobs. When he stopped, the machine was humming loudly. He turned to them and smiled.

"Alright, this is how it works, you tell me a 'What If' and I'll input it into the computer. The five of you will be the only ones who know about the real world so you'll have to act casually. You must not tell anyone that they are part of the dream world, it is very important that you remain part of them and not the other way around. Understood?"

They nodded and suddenly they began to feel nervous.

"Great." Howard smiled and walked back to the computer. "Okay, tell me you're what if's…"

The room was silent while everyone thought. Wufei was the first to speak.

"I want to know what life would have been like if Meiran had never passed." His voice shook slightly at the prospect of seeing his wife again.

"Meiran…right…" Howard muttered while he typed it in.

"I want to know what would have happened if I never lost no body." Duo sighed. "The Maxwell's…Solo…what if they were alive?"

"Alive…" Howard muttered.

"What if I was never lost to my family?" Trowa added in a soft voice. It was something that had plagued him his whole life.

"Lost to family…."

"I…I want to know what I would be like if I didn't have to take over my father's business." Quatre's cheeks flushed slightly red at his comment. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy his work, but it was tiresome.

"And I…" Heero paused and took a deep breath. "I want to know what life would have been like if…if I had parents…if I had a normal life."

Duo opened his eyes and glanced over at Heero with a sad expression. The five of them knew that Heero had led the hardest life of them all; if anyone deserved this, it was him.

"Right….okay…." Howard muttered while he typed. "Okay…great! I got it." He turned to them and smiled. "Everyone ready?"

Mumbled affirmatives went around followed by deep breaths and slightly whitening knuckles.

"Right. Here we go!" Howard smiled and pushed a large red button.

The world began spinning for the five men and they had to close their eyes to keep from passing out. They're bodies felt stretched, as though they were passing through the atmosphere without inertia dampeners. It took everything they had to keep from shouting out. And suddenly, just as quickly as it came, the feeling was gone. But the question on all of their minds…did it work?


	2. Duo's Discovery

**Chapter Two - Duo's Discovery**

Duo opened his eyes experimentally. The light nearly blinded him and he had to close them again. Trying again, he carefully blinked his eyes until they were used to the light and opened them. He was lying in a bed with dark blue blankets covering him in a small room that barely stretched farther than the bed.

"Aww, don't tell me my life is worse this way…" He groaned and sat up.

The room was bare except for the bedside table. Duo turned to it for inspection. The top was littered with picture frames with various pictures in them. Duo picked the closest one up and brought it closer. The picture was of himself, wearing priest robes, standing in between a bride and groom. The bride was Hilde and the groom…

"Solo?" Duo blinked his eyes again to make sure he was seeing things clearly. "It is him…"

He could hardly believe his eyes. Solo had married Hilde? The idea was almost too much to believe. He set the picture down and continued searching. Another picture was of him and Father Maxwell and Sister Helen when he was a child. Sister Helen was fussing with his hair and Father Maxwell was laughing as Duo struggled. He had to have been at least 10 in the picture.

"It must have worked…" Duo marveled. He quickly turned to investigate the rest of his room. On the foot of his bed were a black buttoned shirt, his priest collar, and a pair of black jeans. "Heh, looks like my style hasn't changed much." He teased and stood up to get dressed.

Once his clothes were on, he slowly opened the door to his room and peaked out. The adjoining hall was quiet and lined with stained glass windows. Each one had a depiction of Christ on them and Duo remembered them as the same images from the Maxwell Church. He walked in silence for most of the way, admiring the windows as he went, until he reached another door. This one was larger and made of solid oak. He reached down for the handle and pulled carefully. The door opened to the main sanctuary of a most remarkable church. Duo could hardly believe his eyes. It was similar to the Maxwell Church only far more extravagant.

_Could this be what happened to the Maxwell Church? _Duo asked himself.

"Maxwell!"

Duo turned at the sound of his name and saw a very elderly man hobbling towards him. The man had graying hair and soft warm eyes with a slightly hunched body. Duo smiled widely when he recognized him.

"Father Maxwell!" He exclaimed an embraced the man.

"Well of course it's me, Maxwell." He laughed and returned the hug with unsteady hands. "Who else would it be this early?" He teased.

Duo pulled back and Father Maxwell raised a brow. "You haven't been having those nightmares again have you?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"Nightmares?" Duo questioned.

Father Maxwell nodded. "Yes…you know the ones you mentioned yesterday. The ones about death?"

Duo frowned. _Looks like I can't escape death no matter what I do…_He thought. He sighed and shook his head. "No Father, no nightmares. Not last night." He smiled.

Father Maxwell returned the smiled and nodded. "Good, good." He straightened up and turned towards the pulpit. "Oh, by the way Maxwell…"

_Maxwell…That must be my name in this world…_He thought.

"Sister Helen wanted me to ask you if you wouldn't mind performing the service at the convent tomorrow." Father Maxwell finished.

Duo blinked. "What?"

Father Maxwell stopped and turned around. "Brother Andrew is sick and she wanted to know if you would replace him."

"I'm…a priest?" Duo asked. The idea was almost absurd…almost. It did make since. Even in the other timeline all he ever wanted was peace. If the only family he ever knew hadn't died, it would make since that he would pursue a career in the church. He looked up to Father Maxwell and smiled, hoping it looked convincing. "Sure. I'd love to help."

Father Maxwell smiled and nodded. "Good. I'll let her know." He turned and slowly hobbled away, leaving Duo alone to his thoughts.

"Wow…" He walked over to a small chair and sat down. "I'm a priest?" He shook his head and then quickly ran to his room. "Maybe I keep a journal or something. Something that will help me out…" He muttered as he franticly searched his room. He looked under the mattress, around his pillow, under the bed, around the nightstand…nothing. Exasperated, he collapsed on his bed and glared at the side table; that's when he saw it. Just under the table was a small switch. He reached forward and pushed it and out swung a small drawer.

"Ha!" Duo laughed. "Why didn't I think of that?" He smiled and sat up. Inside the drawer was a small red book. Duo picked it up and opened it up. Sure enough, it was a journal. He flipped through the pages and finally decided to start at the beginning. Looking at the date he recognized it as the day after the Maxwell Church burned down in his actual timeline. Intrigued, he began to read:

_Well, where do I start? The Maxwell Church was burnt down yesterday. I had gone out to the market for Father Maxwell and when I got back the church was on fire! I didn't know what to do! But luckily Father Maxwell and Sister Helen got out okay. They found me in the street and told me that everything was going to be okay. I'm glad I have them. Anyway, the church is ruined now. Nothing survived. Father Maxwell said we can rebuild it but I know it'll never be the same. Right now we're staying with a friend of Sister Helen's until the church can be rebuilt. I hope it happens soon, I don't like this lady. She smells and never smiles. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait it out…_

Duo chuckled at his 8-year-old self. It had been so long, he had forgotten that there was a time when he was still innocent. He flipped a few pages and settled on a date about seven years later during the summer. Two months before Duo stole Deathscythe from Professor G. and started the war:

_Well, here I am again. I know I said I was too grown up to write in this thing anymore, but for some reason it just makes me feel better. The Earth Sphere Alliance has been causing some trouble it seems. They want the colonies to listen to their every command, and they don't want to. I've been approached by a group that calls themselves the Sweepers. They want me to help them with the war. The leader, Professor G., said he has some powerful mobile suit that he calls a Gundam and they want me to pilot it. I've never used a mobile suit before and I don't know if I'll be any good at it. Father Maxwell says I should go. He says it's my destiny. He says that if I go there will be a lesser chance of casualties because I won't allow it. I don't know what I should do…_

Duo sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Looks like the war still found me." He muttered gravely. He flipped further in the journal and skimmed some of the entries:

_Attacked another OZ base today. Three hundred casualties this time. I know I shouldn't keep a running tally; that it'll only make things harder, but I can't help it. It's in my nature…_

_Four more casualties. My Gundam fell into a house. They died because of me…_

_A colony was destroyed today. I don't think I even want to try and count the casualties. It's just too much…_

Duo sighed. The entries became shorter and darker the further he read. It brought back horrible memories for him and he nearly closed the book…but one entry stopped him:

_I met an interesting character today. I thought I was being the hero and saving the girl…guess I was wrong. This guy was holding a gun at her so I pulled mine on him and what does she do? Hits me! I mean really, there's no respect anymore! I never found out his name, but I know I'll never forget his face…_

Duo smiled. So he did meet Heero. He'd never forget that first meeting and it seemed that it occurred in much the same way. "Guess some things really are destiny." He smiled and continued flipping. A knock on his door brought him back to reality…so to speak. He quickly stashed the book and walked to the door. He barely had time to open it before he was tackled hard and landed with a crash on the bed. His war instincts kicking in, Duo threw his attacker to the floor and turned to glare at whoever thought that he would go down so easily and his eyes widened. On the floor was a laughing man with long black hair and bright green eyes.

"Solo?" Duo gasped. It had been so long since Duo had seen his old friend that he could hardly keep from smothering him with an embrace. "Solo, what are you doing here?"

The laughing figure forced himself to calm down and slowly sat up. "We were supposed to meet you for breakfast this morning, remember?" He smirked. "Geez, where'd you learn to do that? You've never thrown me so hard before." He complained rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry." Duo replied and stood, offering Solo a hand up.

Solo stood and smiled. "It's okay. I'm tougher than that." He winked. "Anyway, you ready to take off?"

Duo smiled warmly. "Absolutely." He could deffenently get used to this world...

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Well, that's chapter two! What do you think of Duo's new life? I'll get the other pilots slowly throughout the next few chapters. Please tell me what you think! I love getting advice on my stories.**

**Thanks so much to my reviewers: Ai no miko500 and anissa32. You guys are great and I hope you're enjoying the story!**

**Happy Reading!**


	3. Heero's True Beginnings

**Chapter Three – True Beginnings**

Heero's head was spinning when he finally came to. He had to remember to shoot Howard when he got back. Suddenly it hit him. Got back? Did it work? Was he in a new reality? He was almost afraid to open his eyes. What would he see? How would he look? Deciding he couldn't keep his eyes shut forever, he carefully opened them. The room he was in was dark, but from what he could see, it was very bare. He sat up and blinked before realizing he was on a couch with a small blanket laid over him. He blinked his eyes, trying to focus, and he noticed a large window covered by dark curtains. He stood and walked to them. Opening the curtains, light filled the small room and Heero had to cover eyes his to keep from being blinded.

"It's about time you woke up."

Heero turned around quickly at the sound of the female voice and reached for his gun only to find nothing but a pair of sweat pants. He blinked into the newly light room at the figure that was walking towards him.

"Who are you?" He asked and suddenly regretted it. It Howard's machine had worked then this person would think it odd that Heero was questioning them.

"You're sister, Bakayaro**_(1)_**." The girl replied.

Heero glared at the attitude and crossed his arms over his chest. "Nice attitude." He muttered.

Now that his eyes had adjusted, he was able to see her clearly. She was young, possibly 16, and looked very similar to him. Her hair was dark brown and her eyes were shining blue. With her hair cut short, he could have sworn he was looking into a mirror. She was carrying a small tray with a bagel, some orange juice, and an apple. She set it on the coffee table before him with a huff and placed her hands on her hips.

"I can't get her to eat so you're going to have to do it. I'm going to be late for school." She said and stalked around the couch, grabbing a backpack from the floor on her way.

"Can't get who to eat?" Heero asked, following after her.

If he had a sister, he wanted to talk to her, learn about her and get to know her. The girl stopped and turned towards him with an annoyed look on her face.

"Mom, Baka _**(2)**_. Are you hung over again?" She glared.

"Hung over?" Heero questioned.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Listen, she's in the bedroom and please don't leave for work without making sure she eats something this time, okay?" She asked before leaving the house and slamming the door behind her.

"My sister…hates me?" Heero asked himself.

He was hoping that his relationship with his sister was typically of siblings but he wasn't sure. He had nothing to go off of. Quatre was the only one he knew that had siblings and he was never very close to the man. He decided to seek out his mother and picked up the tray. He walked slowly down the hall, trying to take everything in. There were several pictures hanging on the walls, several of him and some of his sister. He paused in front of a large family picture. He was around 10 and standing in the front. Next to him was his sister, who appeared to be around the age of three, sitting in the lap of a beautiful young woman. Heero's eyes were fixated on her. She was lovely. Her long dark hair matched his perfectly and waved around her face. She had the same blue eyes that he often saw in the mirror and her smile was unlike anything he had ever seen. Could that really be…his mother? He could hardly believe it. Also in the picture was a tall man. He was standing with his hand on Heero's shoulder with a smile, slightly covered by his dark black mustache. Was that his father? It couldn't be…he never had a father. Or did he in his reality?

"Ahh, so you're awake!"

Heero turned and saw the tall man from the picture walking down the hall. He was wearing a suit and seemed to be in a bit of a hurry.

"Your mother's in the bedroom and be careful," He said as he approached, "She's in one of her moods." He winked and chuckled. "Oh well, I'm off to the office for a few hours and I know what you're going to say." He stopped and turned to Heero. "And yes, I'll be back in plenty of time for you to get to work." He smirked and continued walking. "I know how much you hate to be late!" He called over his shoulder and soon Heero heard the front door close.

Heero blinked and decided to process all of this new information as he continued searching for his mother. The house seemed to be rather small, with few bedrooms and only one bathroom. Not that Heero would complain; it was more than he'd ever received. He walked down the hall, glancing at pictures here and there, until he came to a door. He paused and then reached forward to open it. The room inside was dim, the curtains having only been cracked open and in the center was a large bed. In the center of it, Heero could see a small lump of a person and he knew it must be his mother. He approached quietly, in case she was sleeping, and moved to the edge. The figure stirred and a head appeared from under the many blankets. The woman from the picture was staring back at him, though the face was slightly more careworn and she seemed very tired.

"Mother?" Heero asked, almost not believing his eyes.

The woman smiled and pushed herself to a sitting position.

"Good morning, Orin dear. Why don't you come and sit next to me?" She smiled and patted the bed next to her.

Orin? His name was Orin? Well it made since; in his reality his name was Heero Yuy only because he chose that name as a cover when he entered school. It was a nice feeling to have a real name. He moved around to the side of the bed and set the tray on the nightstand before sitting next to his mother. _His mother_. The phrase still sounded foreign to him. He looked into her tired eyes and smiled.

"How…are you feeling?" He asked, remembering the care he sensed in the voices of his sister and, he assumed, his father.

She smiled and sat up further and Heero noticed the large bulge in her stomach. His eyes widened. "You're pregnant!" He exclaimed.

She laughed. "Of course I am. Goodness Orin, it's as though you just noticed." She smirked. "You haven't been out drinking again have you? Was it the same man as before? Oh what was his name…Tri…Try…Trinton? Yes, that's it. Was it Trinton again?" She winked.

Heero tried to process all that she was saying. So, in this reality, Heero was a drinker…that was extremely uncharacteristic. Heero never touched alcohol. It dulled his senses. Perhaps in this reality it didn't matter if his senses were dulled. And who was this…Trinton? A friend from work perhaps? Where was his work? He had so many questions, but in order to get them answered, he would have to be crafty.

"Never mind me, mother." He said, avoiding the topic. "I've been told you haven't eaten anything this morning."

"Oh Posh." She waved her hand away and frowned. "Marcie worries too much. I tell you she takes after her father. Such a worry wart." She turned to Heero. "But since when are you so concerned. It used to be that you and I had a connection…and understanding, if you will. Don't tell me I'm the only one on my side now?" She teased.

Heero couldn't help but smile. He felt an immediate connection to this woman and he suddenly began to regret never having her in his own world. He tried to understand what she was saying. Marcie must be his sister. But she said _her father_. Did that mean that the man who fathered Marcie did not father Heero? It was possible. Maybe Heero really was an experimental baby and his mother simply remarried. He turned to his mother and frowned.

"I'm not against you. But you need to eat." He turned to her stomach. "For the baby."

She crossed her arms in a pout and frowned. "Oh, alright. If you say so."

Heero handed her the tray and watched her slowly pick at the food before her. She looked up at him and frowned.

"Orin, honey, aren't you going to be late for work this morning?"

Heero thought about what his step-father had said. "No, I'm not going in till later…" He paused, he wasn't sure what to call his step-father, "Dad, went to work for a few hours and will be back before I have to leave."

She smiled brighter and giggled. "Wonderful! That means you and I will have some quality time."

Heero smiled. Quality time…that sounded nice. He would very much be looking forward to his time alone with the mother he never knew.

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_**(1) Bakayaro – Asshole in Japanese (exact translation stupid bastard)**_

_**(2) Baka – Idiot in Japanese**_

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**Well, there's chapter three. Ai no miko500, you requested that I do Heero next so I did. I hope you enjoyed his alternet reality. And I'm glad you enjoyed Duo's! I'll probably be working on either Trowa or Wufei next unless I get any comments otherwise. Okay, well, happy reading everyone!**


	4. Wufei's Marriage Divine

**Chapter Three – Marriage Divine**

Wufei groaned as he came too. He had a slight pounding in his head and his body felt slightly weak. _This machine better have worked or I'm going to…_Wufei grumbled to himself. He opened his eyes and carefully pushed himself to a sitting position to survey his surroundings. He was in a bed but the mattress was on the floor. The room was decorated in traditional Chinese décor and Wufei couldn't help but smile. The room was very similar to the temple where Wufei used to study. In the corner was a small table with two large cushions, one blue and one red, with gold trim. The table had fresh Peony flowers on them in a small white vase and their fragrance was filling the room. Wufei smiled, they were his favorite.

He sound of foot steps down the hall alerted his attention and he turned to the sliding door. It carefully slid open and a small face peeked through the crack. Wufei felt his breath catch in his throat as the door opened the rest of the way. In the doorway was a short woman with jet black hair that fell around her face to her shoulders and shining brown eyes. She was wearing a maroon dragon robe, traditional of Wufei's clan, and she was carrying a tray of tea and some soup that Wufei couldn't see.

"Meiran…" He breathed.

She approached slowly and set the tray on the floor next to the bed before sitting on her knees before him.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Wufei blinked, confused.

"I was worried…" She continued. "When you didn't get up before me…I thought you might be ill."

Wufei smirked and couldn't resist the chuckle. It seemed that in this reality, Meiran had lost some of her arrogance. He smiled at her and bowed his head.

"I am fine."

She smiled and nodded. "I'm glad." She moved closer and sat on the bed. "Is there any reason why you haven't left for work already?"

Wufei could hardly tear his eyes away from her. The years had been good to her. The last time he had seen her she was still a troublesome thirteen-year-old who had yet to develop. She was beautiful now, with a very curvaceous body that Wufei found hard to resist. He reached forward and stroked her cheek softly.

"I only wanted to spend time with you." He said softly.

She smiled and blushed slightly. "But work…won't you be late?"

Wufei chuckled and pulled her to him on the bed. "Work can wait." He husked and pushed her down onto the bed amidst her giggles.

He wasn't sure what had come over him, but suddenly he wanted nothing more than to have her in his arms. Almost as if it could all disappear in an instant and he had to take advantage of it while it was still real. The feeling of his lips on her skin sent fires through his body and an old familiar feeling washed over him. His love for her had never truly disappeared and now it was renewed stronger than ever. He wanted nothing more than to show her what lay in his heart; to tell her how much he loved her and how much he had missed her. He wanted to hold her tight and never let her slip away again.

She smiled and looked up into his eyes. "Wufei, you're acting…different." She said and pushed herself up onto her elbows. "Did something happen last night while I was asleep?" She asked, an unmistakable sound of hope in her voice.

Wufei smiled, holding her closer. "I only realized how much I love you." He said and leaned in to her.

She smiled and accepted his embrace more than willingly. After another few moments, she pushed him back and giggled. "Wufei, I love you more than the sun loves the earth." She sat up. "But if you are late the elders will be very upset."

Wufei chuckled and nodded. "I suppose so." He let her up and kissed her lips softly. "I will try and be home quickly so that we may continue this." He whispered in her ear.

She blushed and nodded, a small smile curling her lips. She kissed his cheek and left the room. Wufei watched the empty door until he could no longer hear her footsteps. He let out a heavy sigh and stood up. To be able to be with Meiran again…to touch her…taste her…it was almost too much for his senses and he suddenly found himself hoping that Howard never turned the machine off.

He moved soundlessly around the small room, exploring. Several pictures were displayed on the walls, most were of himself and Meiran, but there were a few of others. One in particular caught his eye. It was of a small group, around seven or eight people, himself in the middle standing next to Meiran. He looked younger, around 15 maybe 16.

_Hmm, that must have been around the time of the war…_he thought. He looked closer and tried to pick out faces. Meiran was obvious. She stood in the center with her short pigtails or black hair, wearing a flight uniform. On her left stood Wufei, wearing his traditional white kung fu uniform; and on her right was a tall woman with dirty-blond hair. Wufei chuckled.

_I suppose Sally and I truly were meant to be friends…_

Most of the others were strangers too him but there were three that he could not mistake. The faces of Duo, Trowa and Quatre were surrounding them, all with bright smiles on their faces. The sight was somewhat unnerving. He had often seen Quatre and Duo smile, but Trowa…He seemed genuinely happy in the picture. But…where was Heero? Did he not make the cut as a Gundam Pilot in this world? How could that be? Heero was the "Perfect Soldier".

_Perhaps he's not in this world. _Wufei thought. He moved around the room and looked at other photos. There was one of he and Meiran on their wedding day. He laughed, remembering. She refused to wear her hair in the traditional fashion, and only wore her mothers dress out of respect. At the time, Wufei had thought she was being ridicules, but now he found her amusing. But where were his children? He found no pictures of children on any of the walls or tables.

_Maybe we keep the pictures elsewhere…_Wufei thought. He wandered over to a dresser and opened it. Inside were many robes, robes that he recognized as the robes of the elders in the temple.

_I…work in the temple?_ He thought. It made sense. He had been planning on doing that during the war, and since Meiran never died…perhaps she became the pilot of Shenlong and he never fought in the war. He frowned. Never fought in the war. He wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that or not. But he was with Meiran, and that was all that mattered. He turned to face, what appeared to be, the most current picture of the two of them and smiled.

"That's all that matters." He whispered.

**

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Well, there's Wufei's beginning. I hope everyone is enjoying the story and I just wanted to thank all of my reviewers for their support. I really appreciate it! Anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Thanks again! Happy Reading!**


	5. Trowa's New Family

**Chapter Five – Trowa's New Family**

A loud shrieking filled the air as Trowa opened his eyes. He couldn't tell where it was coming from, but it was loud…and rather obnoxious. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He felt dizzy and slightly disoriented. Looking around he observed that he was in a small bedroom with a white dresser, white bed and a small white bassinet on the corner. Trowa's eyes widened when he realized that the shrieking was coming from the tiny lacy bed. He walked over to it and looked inside to find a very small baby wrapped in a pink blanket. The baby stopped screaming when it spotted Trowa and giggled.

"I…have a baby?" Trowa asked himself. He reached down and picked up the child and carried it to him.

The baby cooed and cuddled next to him, bringing a smile to his face. "I wonder if I'm married…" He said and looked around the room. The walls were bare except for two certificates on the wall near the door. He walked up to them. The first one was a degree from Harvard Law and the second was an award for completeing a case study faster than anyone else.

"Hmm…" He looked down at the baby. "Guess I'm a lawyer." He chuckled.

He bounced the baby as he walked around the room, exploring. He walked to the door and opened it, walking into a very narrow hallway. He walked down it and came to a small kitchen. Sitting on the kitchen table was a small piece of paper. He bent over and picked it up to read.

_Trinton, _

_Thanks for agreeing to watch Mandy for me. This business trip is just really important and I need to focus. I dropped off her stuff this morning and left it in the living room. You were asleep so I didn't want to wake you, though I'm sure Mandy has by now. Anyway, I'll be back in a week. Thanks again!_

_Cathy_

Trowa sighed. He should have known it was too good to be true. The baby, Mandy, was Cathy's baby. _And my name is Trinton still…_He thought. He smiled at the baby and bounced her a bit.

"Well, it looks like we're together for a week, huh?" He smiled and the baby giggled.

He chuckled. He liked having a baby around. It was warming. He smiled and continued exploring the small area where he lived. In the living room he found the bags that Cathy mentioned in her note along with several pictures scattered around the area. Trowa found the same picture that Wufei had on his wall along with several of he and Cathy together and a few of he and Cathy with two adults.

"My…parents…" He muttered, looking carefully at the smiling people around him in the photo. He smiled warmly at them and continued looking. He had one picture that shocked him slightly. He was standing in a photo studio with another man. He picked it up and looked closer.

"Is that…Heero?" He asked aloud.

Mandy laughed in response and started to chew on her toes. Trowa smirked and looked back at the photo. He was standing behind Heero with his hand on his shoulder. "Are we…a couple?" But the Heero in the picture seemed…different.

"He's smiling…" Trowa observed. And he was. The Heero in the picture had a wide smile on his face. Not the cold harshness that Trowa was used to. He sat down on the couch and placed Mandy on his knee. He opened the back of the picture and looked at the writing he found there.

_Orin and Trinton Forever_

Trowa blinked. "Orin?" _Heero must have a different life here as well._ He thought. He smirked and set the picture back down. He couldn't say he was entirely opposed to the idea of being with Heero, but it was a little odd to think about; considering he had been apart for his Heero for years. He looked back at Mandy and smiled.

"Well, this is definitely interesting. Isn't it Mandy?" He asked and she squealed with delight.

A knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts. He stood and walked over to it, slowly pulling it open. A woman was standing on the other side holding a very large bag with roses all over it.

"Hello Trinton, dear." She said and pushed inside without being welcomed.

Trowa looked at her curiously for a minute before realizing it was the same woman from the picture. "Mother…" he said, in awe.

She paused and turned to him. "Yes, of course it's me." She said, almost annoyed. Then her demeanor changed and she grinned. "Oh, there's my little granddaughter!" She said to Mandy and took her out of Trowa's arms. "How's my darling?" She asked and Mandy again squealed.

Trowa couldn't help but chuckle at the baby as his mother sat on the couch with her. She looked up at him. "I was just coming over to make sure Cathy got here alright. But it looks like I've missed her." She shrugged. "Oh well." She looked up at Trowa with a skeptical look. "Are you sure you can handle the baby all by yourself?"

Trowa crossed his arms over his chest. "Why wouldn't I be able to handle her?"

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the child. "Because you're so absorbed with work and with Orin that I assumed, naturally, that you wouldn't want Mandy around."

_Work and Orin…_He thought. _Heero and I must be pretty serious in this world…_

He walked over and sat next to his mother. "I can handle her mother. Don't worry." He smiled warmly.

His mother also smile and Trowa felt his heart warm. "I know I know." She kissed Trowa's forehead and then the baby's. "I suppose I'll leave then." She stood up.

Trowa suddenly realized that he didn't want her to go. He stood and stopped her. "You don't have to. Why don't you stay for tea?"

She surveyed him for a while and then nodded. "Alright. That sounds nice." She smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Trowa sighed in relief. He wanted a chance to talk with the mother he never knew.

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_**Okay, I know, it's been forever. But here it is! Chapter 5Trowa's New Family! Yay! Okay, so, please read and reveiw and let me know what you think. Also, I'm having trouble thinking up Quatre's life. Any suggestions?**_

_**And thanks to phoenixfirekitsune for your reveiw. I appreciate it and I'm glad your enjoying it! Happy Reading!**_


	6. Quatre's Past Made Present

**Chapter Six – Quatre's Past Made Present  
**

Quatre yawned and stretched his arms over his head. Whatever he was lying on, it was very comfortable. Opening his eyes, he was amazed at what he saw. He was lying in a very large bed covered with silks and satins and draped with the most beautiful hangings that he had ever seen. His pillows were thick and plush and his blankets were soft and warm. He sat up with a start. Where was he? He placed his hands by his sides to push out of bed when he felt something. He looked to his right and covered his mouth to keep from gasping. Next to him was a very beautiful young woman. She seemed to be fast asleep, with long flowing black hair and soft tan skin. Quatre felt faint. Was he…married? Not wanting to wake her, he slowly got out of bed and looked around the room. It was very lavish with silks hanging from the walls and Arab rugs decorating the floors.

_It looks a lot like my old bedroom on colony L4. _He observed. In between silks were dozens of pictures. Just like Wufei and Trowa, he found the group picture of them standing together when he was 16. He smiled. _I'm glad we're still friends…_He thought. There were several more pictures of Quatre with various people, all of whom where in suits and ties. He chuckled darkly. _I guess even here I'm in the public eye. _But he couldn't find any pictures of the woman in his bed. _Why wouldn't I have pictures of her? _He wondered. Then he shrugged, assuming that his pictures of his wife were else where.

He continued to wander the room until he heard a stir from the bed. The woman rolled over, but didn't wake up.

"So…I'm married." He smiled softly. He liked that idea. He had always wanted a family. "I wonder if we have children." He pondered, continuing to explore the room.

Again he heard a stir and turned to see the woman sitting up, rubbing her eyes. He smiled and walked back over to her.

"Good morning." He said with a smile.

The woman looked up at him and smiled in return. "Sabah el-khayr **_(1)_**, Master Quatre." She smiled and pulled him down to the bed with her. She startled his hips and kissed his lips.

Quatre chuckled and even blushed a little as she did it. He was a little curious why she called him Master Quatre, but he didn't question it. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked.

She nodded and leaned closer to him. "How could I not sleep well with you by my side?"

Quatre blushed again and giggled. She was very good with words.

She smiled and laughed slightly. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning." She commented. "Much better than you seemed last night."

Quatre wondered what she meant, but decided to go with the flow. "Yes well, a night with you can change a man." He chuckled.

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She stood and pushed her hair off her shoulder. "I will bathe now." She winked at him and left the room.

Quatre was in awe as he watched her walk into the adjoining bathroom. She was absolutely gorgeous. He sighed deeply and stood up again. It was nice to have a wife and perhaps even children. He walked over to the bay windows and threw them open to the warm Arabian sun. He smiled.

Yes, this was the life.

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(1) Sabah el-khayr – Arabic for 'Good morning'**_

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**Okay, I know that Quatre's is a little short, but bare with me. It'll get better in the later chapters. Thanks to evil has a new smiley, Qualmi-chan, and phoenixfirekitsune for your reviews. I appreciate them and thanks for the advice for Quatre too! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon. Happy Reading!**


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